Sausalito cuts deal for playground at MLK Park

Sausalito city officials have decided 70 percent of a park is better than no park at all.

The City Council approved a lease Tuesday night with the Lycee Francais La Perouse, a kindergarten through fifth-grade elementary school, for use of a planned playground.

Lycee Francais proposed an $800,000, 12,000-square-foot playground to be built at nearby Martin Luther King Park as part of its campus. It would be used by the school exclusively during operating hours, from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, between September and June.

The park would be available to the general public after school hours, on weekends and during the summer. The school would provide maintenance. City officials estimate that gives the public access to the park 70 percent of the time.

"We will have it on holidays and weekends when residents can really use it," said Mayor Herb Weiner, in voting for the deal. "And we have no playground in the north end of town."

Councilwoman Linda Pfeifer cast the lone vote against the deal as she questioned the public's access to the playground.

"The ratio could change drastically" if Lycee Francais ever decided to hold a summer school session she said.

When the school's lease with the city expires, which could be anywhere from five to 20 years, the playground would become city property.

The playground will be constructed in two phases. The first phase will complete all the site work and have a temporary surface and minimal playground equipment. The second phase will occur after fundraising and result in a permanent surface and installation of the remainder of the play equipment.

The playground would have perimeter fencing with access gates, drinking fountains, seating, an outdoor education area and landscaping, according to the city.

Lycee Francais had been based in Corte Madera until recently, but it was forced to move because the Larkspur-Corte Madera School District is reclaiming the San Clemente Elementary site to handle its growing population.